The two candles we have lit so far: peace and hope, are not naturally the state we live in. It is easier, as I was reminded this week, to be hopeless and without peace. The same will be true of the other candles we will light later.
But Christmas shows us a better way!
This is the hope and truth we must wrestle with.
Because of Christmas we can be different.
Mary was nothing special.
She may have been as young as 12 and as old as 18. We just don’t know. However, we do know that if God did not show up and show off in her life because of His grace we would not be talking about her today.
Peace comes from experiencing and knowing God’s grace.
You cannot have lasting peace apart from God and Christ. The peace Mary shows us required her experience of grace.
Peace comes from the power of the Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit would come upon her to produce the baby she was to deliver.
Peace comes from submission to God.
Notice her words at the end, “May your proclamation take place.” (My translation). We can do what God asks us to do. This is one of the points of our passage this morning.
